THE government has issued an order
prohibiting customary lands from being sold on long lease to individuals
or institutions, as a large portion of land belonging to villages had
turned targets of various local and foreign investors.
Minister for Lands, Housing and Human
Settlement Mr William Lukuvi announced this over the weekend during a
live broadcast programme aired by the state broadcaster, TBC.
"From this time forth, no villager or
village will be allowed to send proposals for transfer, sale or
alienation of any land either for any routine public purpose or for the
purpose of giving it to a private party,’’ stressed the minister.
Instead, Mr Lukuvi said all village
(customary) land shoppers should alternatively apply for land pieces
through his office or the Tanzania Investment Centre (TIC).
"No local or foreign investor is allowed
to buy customary land from a village," Mr Lukuvi said on a live
telecast "Tumetekeleza’’, a programme that focuses on highlighting
progress and performance of various ministries in implementing
development projects.
The minister, who expressed
disappointment over the prolonged land disputes in various parts of the
country, said the decision is also meant to scale down conflicts.
Mr Lukuvi announced that his office was
still evaluating investors who had acquired large land chunks from
villages and abandoned the farms without developing them. "We will seize
all the land pieces, which were legally acquired but had never been
developed or are now used other than the prime-purpose," he said some
investors acquired the land portion and used the land as collaterals for
their own benefits.
"We cannot allow our people to continue
to suffer on the expense of investors," he said, calling on the general
public to help the ministry identifying such shortfalls in their
respective areas. He, however, said the ministry will release directives
to help investors acquire land pieces regarding to the demands and
purposes.
He assured investors of protection,
especially when they abide by governing laws. "There are few people who
are not supporting what am doing since I annulled their lands.
This will not make me stop; I will
continue freezing all the land, which have been abandoned by investors
regardless of their status and nationality," he noted. He urged the TIC
to cooperate with his ministry to help investors, adding that such
collaboration will enable profitable investments for the country's
economic growth.
"My ministry still owns large land
portions for investment. But we want to end land disputes that have been
giving sleepless nights to the people," he emphasized.
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